14th April 2009
BT responds to feedback with revisions to improve Adastral Park plans
Following constructive feedback received from Suffolk Coastal District Council (SCDC), local residents and statutory consultees, David Lock Associates has revised BT’s outline planning application for Adastral Park. The amendments seek to address many of the comments made to BT since the application was submitted in September 2008. A revised outline planning application has now been submitted and the original application withdrawn.
BT’s vision for Adastral Park will deliver state-of-the-art new Research and Development and higher education facilities along with a new residential community of up to 2,000 new homes. The revisions to the plans were invited by SCDC following detailed discussions during which BT was advised on areas where the plans could be improved. Phil Dance, Senior Director at Adastral Park, said:
“We welcome all of the feedback we have received on these plans, and this revised application takes into account comments made by the Council, local people and other stakeholders. We believe that the vision we have for Adastral Park will deliver great benefits for Suffolk as a whole, including new homes, new jobs, and vital new infrastructure. We will continue to work constructively with SCDC, as well as local residents and all other consultees as the plans progress through the necessary stages.”
In responding to feedback, the new application makes a number of positive revisions to the plans, including:
- – Relocating large areas of green open space and playing fields to the eastern edge of the site closest to the existing village of Waldringfield.
- – Significantly increasing the planting along the boundary of the site, including new native trees and shrubs. The depth of all perimeter planting has now been increased to at least 20 metres, and in some cases up to 30 metres.
- – Increasing the number and depth of ‘Green Corridors’ across the scheme, providing a comprehensive network of landscaped links through the site.
- – More extensive provision of perimeter planting, green corridors, playing fields and green open space to create an enhanced landscape setting for the proposed new community.
- – Improvements to the routes of the internal access roads to enhance the setting of the proposed new residential areas and to simplify internal circulation.
- – Alternative links to the Foxhall Roundabout through improvements to the former Felixstowe – Woodbridge route located to the south west of the site.
Following the submission of these revised plans, SCDC will be holding a further period of consultation on the proposals, providing residents and consultees with additional opportunities to comment. The Council will be advising on its consultation shortly.
For further information visit http://www.adastralvision.com. The revised application will be uploaded on the site shortly.
For further information:
Ben Copithorne / Paul Teverson, Camargue, Tel: 020 7636 7366, Email bcopithorne@camarguepr.com / pteverson@camarguepr.com
or
Paul Hayward, BT Communications Manager, Tel: 0800 0850 660 or Email paul.2.hayward@bt.com
Notes to Editors:
The planning application
In September 2008, David Lock Associates submitted an outline planning application on behalf of BT for the regeneration of Adastral Park to deliver state-of-the-art new Research and Development and higher education facilities along with a new residential community of up to 2,000 new homes. The application followed more than 18 months of extensive consultation in 2007 and 2008.
David Lock Associates
David Lock Associates (DLA) is one of the UK's leading town planning and urban design consultancies. Established in 1988, it employs over 70 professional staff at its office in Milton Keynes. DLA has led a multi disciplinary team while preparing the masterplan and outline planning application for the redevelopment of Adastral Park.
BT land at Martlesham
BT owns Adastral Park and the 100 acres (40 hectares) on which the current buildings have been developed. BT also owns a further 250 acres (100 hectares) to the east and south of the currently developed area. Much of this has been used for industrial / quarrying activity and could be restored and aesthetically landscaped within the vision. BT’s vision also involves options for working in partnership with adjacent landowners.
About BT
BT is one of the world’s leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.
In the year ended 31 March 2008, BT Group plc’s revenue was £20,704 million with profit before taxation and specific items of £2,506 million.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.
For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt
